Physics First Paper by Jafor Iqbal.pdf

Mainframe Computers

Larger computers generally consist of modules mounted on a chassis or mainframe and are known as mainframe computers. They vary in size, from those slightly larger than a minicomputer to supercomputers (like the Cray and Control Data Cyber computers). 

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Mainframe computer systems offer substantial advantages over mini-computers or microcomputers. Some of these are; greater processing speed, greater storage capacity, a larger variety of input/output devices, support for a number of high-speed secondary storage devices, multiprogramming, and time sharing. Owing to tremendous expense in operating a mainframe computer, this computer system must be operated efficiently. Operating a mainframe at the required level of efficiency requires a very large and highly trained staff. Mainframe Computer systems are generally used by large businesses, universities, governmental agencies, and the military. These systems are often coupled with other computer systems in a large network to provide enormous computing power. This is what is referred to as a distributed data processing system. 

Supercomputers The large and powerful mainframe computer is called a supercomputer. The astronomical cost of the super-computers has limited their development to only a few hundred worldwide. The Cray X-MP, Cray XTS-HE is an example of a supercomputer. Such supercomputers are applied to the solution of very complex and sophisticated scientific problems and for national security purposes of some advanced nations. Smaller, less costly minisupercomputers have been developed by several manufacturers. These computers provide approximately half the power of the supercomputer but at a fraction of the cost. The relative low cost has made the minisupercomputer an attractive to buy for mid-sized to large applications. Many Wall Street brokerage firms in the United States use computers to speed up the processing of large financial models to keep track of securities that have tendencies to fluctuate greatly.